8 Lunch box suggestions & WIN a lunch box kit with SMASH!

I always think that there seem to be two camps of parent: the highly organised, but everything for the next term at the end of last term parents and… me. Get fitted for shoes at 4.42pm the day before we return to school under some misguided impression that “they would grow too much if I did it at the beginning of summer” and then promising myself I will order one of those measuring things for home and take advantage of my online shopping expertise.

Something I didn’t expect to get so organised for is lunch boxes. When Smash! got in touch and asked me if we would like a few of their lunch boxes and awesome, environmentally friendly sandwich and snack boxes, I jumped at the chance. I thought we would be well in for summer, picnics (yep, the rain saw that off) and days out at the beach… but I didn’t really think about lunch boxes and things for school. Up until now, Reuben and Toby have both been in the same class and entitled to free school meals. That is what they have always taken, and though they are still entitled, Reuben is now in the next class and there will be a good portion of his friend’s who aren’t entitled to free school meals anymore and will be taking pack ups. Knowing Roo the way I do, it’s only a matter of time before he starts asking me for a pack up to have sandwiches and the like with his friends.

On the flip side, little miss picky pants has a pick up every Thursday/Friday when she goes to preschool. I usually use a little plastic pot and stick it in a lunchbox with everything crammed inside but if she has anything other than a sandwich, like cold pasta, it leaks. This term, I’m going to be using her snacks pot to try and send her with more fruit based options, and a sandwich box to keep her sandwich fresh.

Want a few ideas for pack ups? Sure!

Antipasti

Salami, pepperonis, ham, different cheeses and tomatoes (a favourite with Toby this one) all with some bruschetta style bread.

Pasta salad

You can go wild with this one – pasta with ham and cheese, tomatoes, avocado, egg, bacon, broccoli and prawns… whatever!

Sandwiches cut into shapes (without wasting the bread!)

We have some fab sandwich cutters so it literally trims the crusts off and the kids think they are fab. We got ours here but you can buy them anywhere.

Fruit salad

Might sound like a dessert but actually fruit salads can be really filling, you could do a fruit salad and something like bread slices to pack the carb punch.

Veggie burgers

Yep, these can be cooked and left to go cold (in fact, they are insanely good cold) and then plonked in the lunch box with some crudettes and dips!

Chicken & apple bites

Super tasty, easy to make and best cold (in my opinion!)

Arancini

These are cheesy rice balls and they are SO good! Easy to make with leftover rice and perfect for dipping in tomato salsa.

Quesadilla

Edith really loves this – I fill her’s with ham and cheese but you can use chicken, sweetcorn and peppers, pepperoni, just cheese, veggies… anything really!

Now for the fun part, a giveaway!! I’m giving 2 lucky readers the chance to win a choice of their “pack up kit” which includes one of these lovely lunch box insulated bags with drinks bottle, a snack pot AND a sandwich pot. Just enter below!